Ginther pushes $500 million bond to ease housing crisis
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Mayor Andrew Ginther's 2025 State of the City address had a clear theme: Columbus needs more housing.
Why it matters: Construction has slowed, houses are expensive, and our homeless population is at a record high as the city fights a 53,000-unit affordable housing deficit.
What he's saying: Ginther spent nearly half of last week's 4,200-word address talking about housing, labeling the issue a priority along with "safety, mobility and prosperity."
- "It is no secret that housing is one of the greatest challenges of the present moment," he said. "That's because Columbus is growing at an extraordinary rate — and with that growth comes extraordinary responsibility."
To handle that challenge, Ginther said Columbus will need hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Ginther announced a housing-focused $500 million bond package for the November ballot that would continue the "important progress" of $250 million in previous bonds approved in 2019 and 2022.
- He said the 2025 funding would also invest in city buildings and equipment, parks, roadways and other infrastructure.
By the numbers: Ginther said the region needs to build 200,000 housing units over the next decade to meet the demand of a growing population.
- He pledged to have 100,000 built in Columbus over that time frame.
Between the lines: Solving the crisis will take more than new builds, the mayor outlined.
- A registry of vacant and foreclosed properties will help the city "know exactly who is responsible for maintaining uninhabited properties in your neighborhood" and hold owners accountable "if a property falls into disrepair."
- A new registry of property wholesalers — or "flippers" — will "ensure ethical, transparent and responsible transactions."
- The Relocation Assistance Code will "help renters who are forced to move out of their homes" on short notice, requiring landlords to cover relocation costs for tenants displaced by emergency vacate orders.
What's next: A new Division of Housing Stability will launch this summer with a priority to "keep residents stably housed and ensure the long-term prosperity and well-being of this community."